NOTES ON THE HAHA PLANNING MEETING OCTOBER 21 AND 22 2010

 

VENUE INTERGEN CIC OFFICE

18 VICTORIA PARK SQUARE

LONDON E2 9PF

+44(0)20 8981 5522

 

 

PRESENT

 

Norma Raynes  

Matthias Roos

Robin Graham

Jim Soulsby

George Baddeley

Steffen Rufenach

 

 

APOLOGIES

 

Roger Graef Films of Note

Ivo Gormley The Good Gym

Kirsty Marsh Museum of London

Tim Sanders Cartoonist

Anita O’Brien    London Cartoon Museum

Rachel Kolsky –Blue Guide London

David Harradine

Lilli Brodner-Music for Health Manchester –Royal Northern College of Music

Alenka Turned PWC

 

1                    NR outlined the programme planned to date and the proposed structure of each seminar week to be held in Germany, France and England.

News of the Irish non-funding was confirmed and the consequent exclusion of the Irish from the programme NR informed the group, had been confirmed by the English national agency.

     

2                    The following suggestions were made :

·         Space must be left for translation so everyone is included –this will take up time in each session

·         It’s a god idea to get continuity of learners if possible as this will enable us to show evidence of the input and its impact

·         Its p[possibly not challenging enough

·         Ideas for warm up/ice breakers, such as ‘what language do you make love in/argue in/shop in etc. Acting out the other countries stereotype of your country  and role play these/use gobbledy gook –George gave us a example of this with RG

·         Take photos of funny things we see out and about and up load these on the website , with or without captions

·         Take photos of people laughing –everyone to have a cameras to do this

·         In between meetings take photos and teach learners how to upload these onto website

·         Small ads (?) and write short satirical sketch and present them in country groups

·         The England, Germany, French axis should be used a strength of the project-we are all aware of the historical negative relationships these three countries have had –maybe laughter is a better way to solve problems

·         Mirth control (?)

·         England better than Germany at football-use the traffic light technique (?)

·         GB offered input from his comedy team , Silver Comedy , if we thought this would be of help

 

 

3                    We need to check out if it’s possible for us to go to the Irish workshop on humour. It appears that the mobility payments for this are on an individual applicant bases. ACTION NR TO CLARIFY WITH AGENCY

 

4                    Need to clarify constraints on French colleagues and options for them.  Offer to meet in Paris with them and discuss and determine an agreed way FORWARD. December 3rd date on which all three of us (RG/MR/NR) can be available. ACTION ALL LATER IN AFTERNOON TO SKYPE GANIT

 

5                    We should not be creating work in between time as we are not being paid for this. Therefore really important to agree dates and programmes at these planning meetings

 

6                    Review timetable and spread over into 2012.

 

7                    NR did not want to hold the English seminar in London because of the cost. No English learners will be paid for and most likely to becoming from the North West. Accommodation and venue costs considerably lower in Manchester. Also good rail and air connections with France and Germany. Good infra structure support for Intergen as we have office there and the FE (Further Education office and two universities if needed)

 

      

8                    DISCUSSION TOOK PLACE

·         Around the idea of having a final session in 2012 in late June prior to the Olympics in London, This would be a Laughter Olympics and could be one day or a weekend. It would be open to others and we could show case our work there and charge for it. The venue of the Hackney Empire was discussed. As it would be on a weekend the Young Foundation would also be available. Planning for this would be undertaken in the course of 2011. We could charge admission to this event which would help us generate some income at least to offset any costs incurred,

·         The proposed format and content of the seminar/learner weeks.

·         We need to be clear that there is a difference between laughter and humour and clarify our focus and how the two might be linked

·         We need to explore what is common and what separates in our humour

·         Explore of there is a basket of humour that promotes laughter across the cultures and in what art forms.

·         Can we teach cartooning?

·         Can we use films-silent films

·         Can we create theatrical piece –GB showed us how his organisation has done this

·         What evaluation tools should we use

·         MR showed his proposed week’s content following the format NR had sent out to colleagues

·         Modifications of the content for the UK session were made

·         Agreed that we should explore differences as well as create a Euro humour box

·         Theatre visit in English programme deleted, more opportunity for practical work and presentations in the group to replace this and free time space, See revised programme. This will be circulated after the December meeting in Paris to all critical friends.

·         Thought and planning around language preparation has to be addressed and translation issues

·         The length of time of the adult learner seminars was agreed as appropriate, allowing time for arrival and departure. It should not be any longer or shorter

 

9                    Skyped France in afternoon technical problems made this really difficult but meeting for December agreed and RG to participate in meeting.

 

 

Notes prepared by NR 28/11/2010 for approval by all present and after agreed changes and any additions that reflect the discussion are made, the notes will be circulated to all members of the critical friends group.